Tank car construction



Feb. 23, 1932. J. c. SULLIVAN TANK CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 6, 1951 2 sheets sheet 1 J. c. SULLIVAN 1,846,768

TANK GAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, I932.

Jill

'Pa tent ed Feb. 23, 1932 p Jn IUs orsntnrvnn, or PITTSBURGH, PinNNsyIlvAfiiAyAssIGNoR wo enn nni'rin a 7 me COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH rnnnsYnvania, VA coarona'rron or Taxes H 1 Amie-antenna April "6, 1931. sw m. 28 160,

This inventionrel'ates to a tank oaricon structionfor maintaining the tanks of rail-' W-ay tank cars in stable equilibrium with the car body frame and for minimizing-forces incident to tank ear transportation which tend to destroy'thetank; More' specifically it in irolves tyingl the tank down tight on its bolsters :by aplurality of stabilizing-ties all as. more fully hereinafter set forth and l as claimed. Each tie 5 comprises an adjustable tieiholt extending downward :frioma bracket on the side of the tank, throughlthe' ear body frameto which the tank isto'betied, said tie bolt being. provided with enlarged l1eadsf on eachend and providedwith a turnbuckle rnid- WayLQf its length to permit adjustment; the

' said bracket, permanently l fastened on f the outside'of the tank shell; positioned approx-r matelyl on thehorizontal'transverse ainsof the tank, and provided with a socket to" re transfer. the opposing forces between bolt head. andspringg 1 l One object of'the present invention is to provide'a means for constantly maintaining theta-11k of a-tankoar in tight con tact with its cradles,the degree of tightness being greater than that resulting fromth'e weight ofthe tank and contents.-

Anotherlobjeet of mylnventlon'ls to pro vide a means for resisting} the tendenoy of the tank of a tank car'torisefrom its cradles when subjected to theforces arising: during transit.

Another objecto-f V p I tain the tank as described in theltwofore:

going paragraphs, le permitting such slid-f a ing motion longitudinallyas Will provide for expansion andicontraction Withchanges of .t p mtu 1! Another object ofmy'invention is to {pre vent jumping of a tankin its cradles. 1

Another object" of my invention. isto prevent theta-11k from being thrown sidewise out of its-cradleswhilethe car is in motion on curved tracks v l other, tofcarry. the superstructure,

-Anotheroob je ct of invention isto :avoid the scraping of paint fromthe tank by anchor straps, and the: consequent; rusting." 1 A Another object of .myini'zentionis tofahol} ish anchor straps as an obstaole to-i'nspection and tightening ofrivets'and seams. 1

Another object of m invention is; to pro- 7 vide a' positive-tyi'ng of the tank to the car. bodyframe,from a -plurality otpoints a 7 r proxirn'ately'on the horizontal transverse axis Another'ohject of iny 'inv'ention is to ie Vi'def-a -tank tie fWhiCh+has*its'jadjusting threads remoVedaWay-fro'mthe end anchor:

ing means. Where a bolt extendsfthrough end anchoring means with a fastening adjusting nut heyond,'- it i s common; where r vibration and shook arepresent,"tofind that the fastening means has'ichewed the thread and'precluded subsequent adjustment.

Tank ficars eommonly-"coniprise trufks'g; a body i frame, ljin'cludingi bolsters, cradles,- Ea v V tank, and strapsifor holding the 'tank inthe the trucks in their .properrelation to mean:

fer the weight of the s perstructure its contents "to the trucks,- and it is fittedwith coupling means at each e ndtb permit'the ear to he oonn'ected with other cars into a train. Tw '0 inor'eeradles are mounted onthe b'ody frainef and are adapted to reeei vei'the tank trans m hold it position engin may: frame; i 1

perform additional functions, and to ohvia te chor strap! In addition' to otlierfeaturesthe V v 7 The tank1 is con1nionly a horizontal tank my lnventlon is to ma1n-' cradles and down tofthe oar*fraine bjrneans 1 stabilizing fasteners-resistfinany foroeswhieh are generated 111i" tank ear during 1 transit of either anchor straps or stabilizing fas-- teners, for the cradles will provide adequate support for the tank. But immediately upon coming into motion there ariseistrains which tend to disarrange the relation of tank and car and to destroy the tank. In considering each'of these forces it is necessary to keep'inf *lengthof travel. and its contents when loaded is ordinarily mind that the combined weight of the tank much greater than the weight of the trucks and body frame of the can; 1

The anchor straps ordinarily used in tank car construction areiflat bands whichextend upwardfrom the body. frame on one sideof the tank, wrap across thetoplof the tank in close contact therewith and extend back down to thebo'dy frame. on the opposite side;

These strapsare threaded on each end. They pass down through the deck of the body frame on each side andiarefastened by a' nut on the underside. 'Itis impossibleto keep these straps tight in tank car operation, andhowever tight they may beniade whenaa car is constructedand when it is sent to a car shop,

thesevere and frequentshocks and vibra-- tions incident to travel acting on these straps, which. have no .-give or. elasticity, loosens them within a few days; movement, and thenceforth they exert'no effect-in maintaining the tank in tight contact withthe cradles;

The looseness of these elements, even'though moderate, considerably shortens the life of the tank car and adds greatly to its upkeep cost. "Because it is not such a condition as 5 threatens immediate destruction ofthetank it is [often subordinatedqt'o other consider;

, ations ofoperation. It is the purpose of.

this invention to'replace anchor straps,'which perform a very modest function, w th elements which better; perform the function of an anchor strap and which perform a number of additional and valuable functions, and

which addvery materially to the: life of the tank. r 1 The relative destructive effects of ordinary trackjollting on aloosely secured tank and a tightlysecured tank can easily be apprec ate ed by considering-the destructive effect of an air hammer working upward On'fsOme body which rose-with each blow and each timefell back, with its resultantmomentum, just in s time to catch the full-force-of the next blowl It is common knowledge that such conditions would be muchmore' destructive than ifthe same body wererigidly .oralmostrig'idly at tachedfto the striking end of the air hammer,-

In the air hammer analogy, with a tight connection' of the hammer and the body being struck,a much greater portion-of the: generated force willbeabsorbedby the medium supportingithe air hammer, and less' of it transferred to the attached, body. Just so of upkeep.

with the tank car. When the tank is maintained at all times in tight contact with the cradles, a much greater portionof the force generated will-be absorbed 1n the car sprlngs,

and that which is transferred to the tank will be transferred. less sharply and with proportionately less destructive effects. It will be notedthat these considerations apply to all'of the track jolts incident torailway'transportation those which occur'in every track The principal forces'which tend to destroy the tank of a tank car are (1) longitudinal forces resulting mainly from changes in the rotate on its longitudinal aXis,-jan11ning1the draw fif-j nozzle against the channels of the body frame, thereby'loosenin'g thatnoz zle and threateningfloss of the entire contents. All of th'ese forces are-much amplified :and com"- plicated when the car-'i's loaded below the dome and surging takes place." 1

--This invention,by providing a means for maintaining the tank in tightcontact with its bolsters underall conditions of travel, minirmzes the attrition resulting from the destructiveforce'smentioned, adds greatly tothelife of the tank, and very materially reduces cost This invention comprises means for maintaining itrin necessary adjustment and the design brings the adjusting element into an accessible position, uses as the adjustingelement one whichcan be adjusted with the aid of such tools as are commonly at hand in railroading practice, and'isolatesthemeans of adjustment away from end fastening means which tend to chew, chafe, and destroy the thread'and preclude subsequent adjust-r ment. r r

This application includes -drawings illustrating the invention andprovided with reference numerals to indicate the various parts.

Fig. l is asi'de view" of "one end of a tank can, principallyin elevation, and partly in section. a i I Fig. vation.

is an end view of a tank car, in ele "Fig; 3f is' an enlarged fragmentary view,

partly in section, showing the means and mode of fastening to the tanki I ig. 'tis a viewfin perspective of one of bracketsillustrated iii Fig.3. V r

4 .Fig.j5gis a 'viewjin perspective of a washer used to transfer forces between the lower, enlarged, end of-bolt lt'and spring25.

- 6 isa sectional view of the washer il- 7,1 maintain it tight in its cradles; Each stabi-.-

to receive-attaching rivetsj18.; Extending adapted toarece-ivethe enlarged head 22 ot a I0.;vThetank11is carrie'din the bolstersil0'.

Theseparts are of common form and rela:

' tion and constitutenopart ofthe presenting VBHtlORLY a 7 an i. {The invention is-a stabilizing tie arranged to tie the tank to thecar body frame'and liz-ing tie. comprises an, adjustable tiezbolt buckle element 15. The element and. the

and its. terminal fastening and tensioning' means. The tie bol'tjconsistsof two links13 and 1%,; together with their connecting -turnends-of links 13 and 14: which fitthereintohead as ,shown at22yinrFigq 3.

are threadedto permit adjustment of their lengthwhen assembled. The links 13'and14: are preferably solii'd bars and at their remoteends. they are; upset to provide an enlarged t-taehm'ent. means tor. the. bolt is: provided onlthe tank llh'by aj hracket shownin; Fig.- 4;. The bracket is tast'enedto the tank- *shellfby rivets "-18 and; is preferably positioned proximately. on a horizontal transverse axis of the tank Thebase 16 otthe bracket is. curved to conform to the curvature of the tank shell, and; provided with openings 17 outward tronr the base 16,, and parjalleltoflone i another, areltwo-flangeszor ribs'lS), preferably oi the outline shown, which flanges are. rein- I forced by webs 20; 7 The. extre-nriti esof thetwo spacedflangesslql) are connected in their upper portion-by a Wall; 21 and. these three 7 elements, together 7 with the base 16:; formal yvertical enclosure of square OIfOSS'ESQClZlOfi,

' 23- andv he opposing forces of the; tank and i openqat the top. This enelos'nre'is ot a size bolt 13 and :the lower part of this enclosn re iseredlreed by a shoulder 23, leaving" therehee low a eir culariopening; 24-01-115! slightly larger" indiameterithan thebody ofbolt 13.; When a the stabilizing'tie is fully assemblechthe em' larged; head 22 off-bolt l3 rests on shoulder tie are transterrejd at. this point-,-

:The lower section 14; ot each tie? passes} through an opening provided I in the body bolsters -10 or othenportion otthe car body frame. A helical spring 25 is inouhted'cm axially onthe lowerend 0t bolt l lgbelow that portionot the carj bodygtrarne tohwhic-h' "attachment is to'lbexmade-and above-the previously described enlarged; head at theextreim ityiof 14:. This spring is held in placeand the opposing forces: oi the spring; and bolt are transmitted to one another. bya washer, 26. mounted "on fholt- 1 andretained against its ienlargedflterininal 'headrf'l his washer is r provided withaacentral 'opening27' for the bolt shank. and; with: arecess 29 ;;toreceive and position the spring. Flange 28. and webs30 ,senve' tof strengthen the washer and fiange28 is of such; form gasatoresist relative rotation if: the head ofthebo-ltZ14ais.square,; which it y advantageously may be. While the washer is hereiillustrated in simple form it mayitdesired also have pro-visionrto prevent its rotag.

tion during adjustment ofthe tie; 1

While: my. invention hascbeeniillustrated and described particularly with 'referenceto its applicability to railway tank cars it will of course beunde-rstood thatnit is equally, ape

plicable to tanks mounted" on allforni of-co'n-- veyances including particularly automobile I tan-k trucks; The terms Vehicle fand conveyr anc'e are nse'cl g m y in this T pplicaw v 1 tionfl; V V o a v p While has-l particularly; with reference to cylindrical.

ellipticcross section andis applicablein la-r e extentito flat bottom tanks which rest1 d l-recjil'y:

' on the flatfibotto-mrof-ia vehicle-1.

tanked-t isiequally; applicable to. tankso-t The-most advantageous embodiment of inventionhas thetie attached-tozthe tank at a; point': i ery close to a horizontaltransverse: c

axis oft-the tank and extending vertically 9 downward from-this point ofattachment tfii i its; lower point of; attachment However; ate Y taehment to-th'e tank at the gpointdescribed j Y .is-j not indispensable nor is it indispensable: that the7ftie{should[reach downward ina strictly verticalposition -.,:{Ties should always- 1 i be mounted geometrically oppositeetor one another; and oppositejties should always be in the-i sameiplane; "-Variatiomfrom the we; s,

tica-l "positiondoes ,not; seriously reduce the efiicacr'; fot. the tie vuntilfthevariation; ap-' preaches th-irty ;.deg'rees: y from: the Vertical,

unless, of iconr'se the deviation from the iver tical would seriously {reduce the distanceber tween thetiesattheirlowenendsL The braclr-,-

ets should allcases beef such design that a the bolts 51,3 and turnhuckles 11'5jwill nottouchv theztankshel-lf My invention contemplates I the use of my:

ties in pairs;andwherethe'tankdoes/not. rest ona; continuous support fromend toendi of the vehicle it is. most desirable.- to; mount the:

ties in line-.with-the cradles which'carry th'ef tank tying it" directly downwardthereon; i

The adj ustability ofilength of my ties His" important only in solar as it is I a mean'sa'tto amuse the tension ofthetie andin so far asit" permits 'meto limit the-total gffgive a or 'eX-a v tensibility o-f .]the tielwhen adjusted; The, latter of these considerations-is of practical importance as it isfidesirable ,to"-;havefthef 7 spr ng in ordinary condltion of ;c.ompress1on senearto itslengtl'i under; total jcompression that the" total] possibleextension of? thegti'e. resultin'gi;

om pull of the qtztnkycould? never be sufiiciently greatwto permit axial.- rotation of the tank to a point wherel'the' bottom drawoff noz zle would touch the longitudinal beams f the body frame. i 'While I have shown and described my'ing vention' as including'theuse'ofa washer-26 in each tie to transferthe opposingforces be tween-the spring 25 and the 'b'olt'l l, this is altogether a matter of structural convenience I and it is equally practical to' make the head of bolt 14 of a size to directly engage the spring, thus doing away with the necessity for a washer g 7 Obviously the bracket shown in Fig. 4 may be attached to the tank by welding or any other suitable means. i -What I claim is 1 -;1 A stabilizing tie to'prevent bouncing of conveyed tanks on their conveyance during travel, the tie comprising a bracket, two bolts each-carrying an enlarged head on one end and a threaded portion on the other end, a

' turnbuekle',a washer, and 'a helical spring;

said bracketlbeing permanently fastened to Y the outside of the-tank shell 'and adapted to receive and retain the enlarged endof one of said bolts; the other of sa'idbolts carrying thewasher on itsshank and retaining it by means of its enlarged head,'ca'rryingthe heli cal spring on its shankjandlretaining that by means of the washer, its threaded end extendingupwardly-through a hole-in the body ofthe conveyance and holding the helical spring thereagainst',and connected at its 'threaded end'by the said-turnbuckle to the threaded end of the-other bolt" depending from the said bracket; 3

2.) A stabilizing tie toprevent bouncing of conveyed tanks-on their conveyance during travel, the tie" comprising' 'a bracket, two

bolts each carrying an enlarged headon one end and a threaded portion on theotherend,

a turnbuckle, and a helical spring; said 7 bracket being pe'rmanently fastenedto the outside 'o-flthe tank shell and adapte'dxto re ceive and retain the enlarged end of one or i said bo1ts;the otherof-"'sai'cl 'boltscarrying the'helical spring on its shank and retaining it 'by means ofits enlarged head, its;threaded end extending upward through a hole in the,

7 body of-the conveyance and holding the heli cal spring thereagainst, and' connected at its threaded nd by the said turnbuckle to the threaded end of the other bolt" depending from the said; bracket.

3."The combination with a'vehicle a horizontal tankmounted thereon, of means to maintainstability of the tank 'with rela tion. to'the car, saidjmeans comprislng tiej elements: of adjustable 7 length and tension,

used in pairs, the two elements of a pair having their'upper[terminals attached to opposite: sides-of the tank, having their-lower terminals attachedto the ear below the point i 7 of 'att'achment to the otank,-and 'each beingvertically downward each car bolster from oppositesides of the fitted withfaspring at one terminal to main-.

tain thetie continuously in tension; v M4. The combination with a railway tank car of rmeans to uninterruptedly"maintain the. tank in tight contact with'the car during I travel, said means comprising ties vextending vertically downward to opposite ends of each car-bolster from opposite sides of the tank shell, said ties being adjustably maintained under tension by means of a spring, and-said ties comprising two bolts adjustably connected by means for altering length and tension.

5. The combination with a railway-tank car of means to uninterruptedlymaintain the tank in tight contact-with the car during 7 travel, said means comprising ties extending vertically downward to opposite ends of each car bolsterfrom opposite sides of the tank shell at points on a horizontal transverse axis ofthe tank, said ties being adjustably ain;

tained under tension by means of aspring. 6, The combination with a-railway' tank car'of means to uninterruptedly maintain'the tank in'tight-contactwith the car during two bolts adjustably connected, by means for altering length and tension."

' 7, The combination witha railway tank car of means to uninterruptedly'maintain'the tankgin tight contact with the car" during travel, said means comprising ties extending to opposite ends of tank shell, said ties being maintained under tension by means of ahelical spring under compression and the tension b'eingad ustabIe by means of a turnbuckle positioned above the car bolster.

T 8. The combinationwith a vehicle and a tank mountedthreupon of'means to unina terruptedly 'maintain the tank-in tight con'- tact with the vehicle during travel; said 'means comprising ties extending vertically V downward from points directly opposite one another on the tank shell, through the supporting body frame, andmaintained in tension by means of a-helical spring under compression betweenthe end of the tie and the 9'. The combination witha vehicle and a tank mounted thereupon of means to 'unin terruptedly "maintain the in tight contact with the vehicle" during travel, "said means comprising 'ties extending vertically downward from'points directly opposite one another on the tank shell," throughthesup porting body framefl maintainedin tension "underside of the vehicle bodyframe, and said ties comprising two bolts adjustably om, n'ected by 'means for alteringlength'and ten.-

fixed my signature. 1

i 1,84e,7ee'

by means of a helical spring under compression between the end of the tie and the under side of the vehicle body frame and'thetie tension being adjustable by means of a turnbuckle positioned above the body frame where the spring is supported.

10. The combination with a vehicle and a tank mounted thereupon of means to uninterruptedly maintain the tank in tight contact with the vehicle during travel, said means comprising ties extending downward from points directly opposite one another on the tank shell, through the supporting body frame, and maintained in tension by means of a helical spring under compression between the end of the tie and the vunder side of the vehicle body frame, and saidties oomprising two bolts adjustably connected by' means for altering length and tension.

11. The combination with avehicle and a tank mounted thereupon of means to uninterruptedly maintain the tank in tight contact with the vehicle during travel, said means comprising ties extending downward from points directly opposite one another on the 5 tank shell, through the; supporting body frame maintained in tension by means of a helical sprlng under compression between the J. o. SULLIVAN, 

